Hailie Deegan vs Todd Souza; Driver issues warning of retaliation

Todd Souza says Hailie Deegan drives like a ‘spoiled rotten little baby’ after contact at Gateway

Hailie Deegan is quickly climbing the NASCAR ladder. She’s currently running full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West division.

Throughout the year, Deegan has had multiple on-track run-ins with drivers. Even to the point of moving her own teammate, Derek Kraus to get the win.

Related: Hailie Deegan comments after spinning her teammate for the win at Colorado National Speedway

Deegan currently sits 2nd in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings with two wins. She has two wins and five top 5s.

Todd Souza is a veteran of the series, this is his 12th season. He is also running full time in the West tour. He’s collected two top 5s and sits 6th in the standings.

On Saturday, the NASCAR Pro Series west tour visited Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway. On the final green/white/checkered restart, Deegan got into the back of Todd Souza on the straight-away.

Deegan finished 9th in the Monaco Cocktails Gateway Classic 125. Souza finished 10th in the race near downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

As the drivers returned to the garage area, things got hot. The drivers and crews circled as they voiced their opinions.

They agree to disagree.


Todd Souza on Hailie Deegan

“She jacked me up going into Turn 1 underneath the rear of my car,” Souza told NASCAR.com.

“We hadn’t been around her all race. We were a little bit off, fought back, got our lap back, made some changes and got the car better.”

“I guess she caught the lucky dog after she went a lap down from the tire blowout she had. She thought that was a desperate move for her, to start moving people with her car.”

“Full on disrespect there to anybody,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of money in this car, just as much money as they have in those cars.”

“I support this series, I spent a lot of money, and to have somebody jack me up for one spot going into Turn 1 and taking a chance at losing a car, its just ridiculous.”

“Her mindset, to be as spoiled and rotten as she is, she drives like she’s a spoiled rotten little baby.”

Only four races remain on the NASCAR Pro Series schedule.

“We’re going to some bigger tracks later in the year and there will be a payback,” Souza concluded.

Hailie Deegan wins at Colorado National Speedway
Hailie Deegan #19 wins the Colorado NAPA 150 at Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, CO on June 8, 2019. (Photo: Meg Oliphant/NASCAR)

Hailie Deegan on Todd Souza

First, Souza and his crew chief, Michael Munoz approached Deegan’s crew chief, Kyle Wolosek. Then, the two drivers began the heated verbal discussion.

“He cussed me out, for sure,” Deegan told NASCAR.com.

“I was a little nervous there for a second. He started coming in my trailer as I was sitting down. There was a brief second where I thought he was going to do something there.”

“I’m like ‘sorry that you’re putting around in third gear on the restarts.’ Going into Turn 1, I have to move. I need positions,” Deegan said.

“I just got back on the lead lap, I had to make up as much ground as I could. It was between him and the No. 77 (Takuma Koga). I mean, what do you want me to do when you have the two slowest guys in front of you? I picked the one that was faster, gave him a little nudge.”

“Not going into the corner, it was on the straightaway. I’m going to push you so I can clear the No. 77 and get back to the high groove where it’s fast.”

“I wasn’t going to take him out, I think he thought I was trying to dump him or something,” she said. “I didn’t need a caution, we were coming to the end. He was in the way, he moved out of the way and moved up. It’s not like I came cross his nose and tried to take him out again.”

“I needed to go. I have positions to get, every point matters when it comes down to the championship. They’re won and lost within one point sometimes,” Deegan concluded.

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Hailie Deegan | Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway | NASCAR Hometracks | NASCAR

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